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Mexico’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The fugitive, widely known as "El Mencho," succumbed to injuries sustained during a violent confrontation between his loyalists and the Mexican army. According to an official statement, he passed away while being transported to Mexico City following the security operation aimed at his capture.
Four CJNG members were killed and another two seriously injured in the operation in the town of Tapalpa, in the central-western state of Jalisco. Three members of the military were also injured.
CJNG has spread from its original power base in Jalisco to have an almost nationwide presence across Mexico.
El Mencho, a former police officer, ran a vast criminal organisation responsible for trafficking huge quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the US.
It had offered a $15m reward for information leading to El Mencho's capture.
The Mexican defence ministry said the US had supplied Mexico with information that assisted its operation. It also said that several armoured vehicles and weapons - including rocket launchers - were seized during the operation.
The reaction from El Mencho's cartel has been immediate and violent.
In as many as eight different Mexican states, the group has set cars alight, set up roadblocks and attacked security forces.
Eyewitnesses have filmed plumes of smoke rising over several cities including Guadalajara - one of the host cities of the forthcoming Fifa World Cup.
In the tourist hotspot of Puerto Vallarta, on the Jalisco coast, potentially thousands of tourists are trapped in the resort around the fighting.
Throughout Sunday, there were reports of gunmen on the streets in Jalisco and elsewhere.
The governor of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus Navarro, on social media advised residents of the state to adhere to a code red warning and avoid leaving their homes. He also said that public transport was suspended in the state.
The US State Department issued a shelter-in-place warning for US citizens in Jalisco State, Tamaulipas State, and areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State.
